3 times the Cleveland Browns could’ve avoided the current quarterback mess

Trade for Russell Wilson in 2022 (or in 2018)

Now, this may not have been in play, because who knows if Russell Wilson would’ve wanted to come to Cleveland in a trade. Be it in 2018 or 2022. Wilson was on the end of his swing in Seattle, and the Seahawks traded him to Denver for three players; quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant and defensive linemen Shely Harris. They also got two first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, two second-round picks in 2022 and 2023, and a 2022 fifth-round pick.

Far less, in my opinion, than what the Browns gave up to get Deshaun Watson and Wilson is the anti-Watson in every way. He’s happily married, is a constant presence in his family’s life, has never really had any negative publicity besides being “a square” and is generally regarded as one of the best quarterbacks of his generation.

If all it would’ve taken to get Wilson was Baker Mayfield, David Njoku, Jordan Elliot, and the same amount of draft picks, the Browns should have been first in line. Granted, I didn’t want Wilson this year simply due to his age, he’s 33 after all, but if I knew I could avoid this mess by getting Wilson, hell yeah I make that trade.

In 2018 the Browns were rumored to be connected with Wilson, and the package was supposedly built around the first overall pick in 2018. Ideally, the Browns use that on Josh Allen in any historical retellings, but if not Allen, Wilson was the better option.